Machine and method for making knitted fabric



May 10, 1 938.

M CHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR S FRANK R. PAGE ALBERT E. PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS May 10, 1938. A. E. PANGE ET AL 2,117,208

' S ALBERT E. PAGE 6 FRANK R. PAGE /69 BY THEIR ATTORNEYS May 10, A, E. PAGE 51' AL V MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS May 10, 1938. A. E. PAGE ET AL MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS yfii m a d 51M May 10, 1938. 5 PAGE ET AL 2,117,208

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1936 '9 Sheets-Sheet 5 N L Q INVENTOR S .q FRANK -R. PAGE P.- BY THEIR ATTORNEYS ALBERT E. PAGE May 10, 1938.

A. E. PAGE ET AL MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KI IITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1956 9 Sheets-Sheetfi INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE v FRANK R. PAGE BY THEIR AITTORNEYS May 10, 1938. A. E. PAGE ET Al.

9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed April '8, 1956 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS ft mm 6 4 M day 10, 1938. A. E. PAGE El AL 2,117,208

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING- KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1956 9 Sheets-sheaf, 8

D ,7 Nii //0 i N TicE 1'. k

MWHHHHH u INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE E4. /V T 1 FRANK R. PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS MMM MaylO, 1938. A. E. PAGE ET AL r 2,117,208

ETHO FOR MAKING KNIT TED FABRIC Filed April 8, 1956 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 \NVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE BY THEIR ATTORNEYS MMM Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC sachusetts Application April 8, 1936, Serial No. 73,376

15 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines, the method of operating the same and the product produced thereby and more particularly to such machines, method and product when an elastic yarn is fed as an additional yarn during the operation of the machine and it is an object of this invention to provide a simplified and improved mechanism for incorporating an elastic yarn in a fabric; to provide an improved method for combining the rubber yarn with the loops of the fabric during the knitting thereof; and to provide an improved fabric and particularly fabric in the form of a completed stocking.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a. view in elevation of the upper por tion of a circular knitting machine of the Scott and Williams type embodying this invention, only such parts thereof being shown as are necessary to illustrate the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing in plan certain of the needle operating cams and their operating means;

Fig.- 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing in plan parts of the needle jack selecting and operating means;

Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view showing the operating means for the rubber yarn guide and a sinker operating cam;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the operating means for the make-up selector lever;

Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, are views in elevation showing pattern drum cams for controlling various operations of the machine, Figs. 6 and 7 showing cams for controlling the rubber yarn guide and the cutter and clamp for the rubber yarn where the cutter and clamp are used, Figs. 8 and 10 showing cams for controlling the operation of the needle operating cams; and Fig. 9 showing the cam for controlling the rubber yarn guide when the cutter and clamp are not used;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the needles and their jacks and operating cams de- 45 veloped into the plane of the paper, the parts being positioned as at the completion of the selvage, the cutter and clamp for the rubber yarn not being used and the body yarn being omitted for clearness;

Fig. 12 is a partial view similar to Fig. 11 and showing the relation of the rubber yarn guide and needles at the time the rubber yarn is inserted;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig.

11, the arts being positioned as when the interlacing of the rubber yarn with the needles is begun;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and showing the relation of the rubber yarn, guide and needles upon the introduction of the rubber yarn when the cutter and clamp for the rubber yarn are used;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view in plan showing the relations of the rubber yarn, needles and transfer bits at the introduction of the rubber yarn where the cutter and clamp for the rubber yarn are not used, the body yarn being omitted for clearness;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing the relations at the throat plate in the course after that shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the rubber yarn at its introduction to the loops of the body yarn at the throat plate;

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a portion of a stockin welt fabric showing the relation of the rubber yarn to the loops of the body yarn;

Fig. 19 is a view in elevation of the portion of fabric shown in Fig. 18; D

Fig. 20 is a plan view of a portion of a stocking fabric showing the relations of the yarns in the courses adjacent the transfer course which marks the completion of the welt;

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing the relation of the parts during the transfer of the loops of the welt from the transfer bits to the needles;

Fig. 22 is a view in elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the relation of the rubber yarn in the transfer course to the loops of the body yarn during transfer;

Fig. 24 is a view in elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of the needle circle showing the relation of the sinkers and the needles during the measuring of the elastic yarn on the sinkers in the knitting of the stocking top;

Fig. 26 is a developed view in elevation showing the needle yarn drawing operation corresponding to the sinker measuring operation of Fig. 25;

Fig. 27 is a diagrammatic plan view of another portion of the needle circle showing the interlacing of the elastic yarn and the slackening of certain loops of the inelastic or body yarn during the knitting of the top;

Fig. 28 is a developed view corresponding to Fig. 27 showing the interlacing of the yarns at the knocking-over point; and

Fig. 29 is a partial view, drawn to an enlarged scale, In vertical section, of a stocking welt and top constructed in accordance with this invention and showing the relation 01' the rubber yarn to the loops of the body yarn in the welt and top.

In the drawings the invention is shown in connection with 9. Scott and Williams circular knitting machine arranged for knitting stockings of plain fabric and having an integral inturned welt formed during the manuiacture with a selvage or beginning edge automatically knit by the machine at the beginning of the welt, such a machine being shown in the patent to Robert W. Scott No. 1,282,958, issued October 29, 1918.

In the drawings in which only such parts of the machine are shown as are necessary to illustrate the invention there is shown the needle cylinder 260, of such length as to accommodate both needles N, intermediate jacks 380 and pattern jacks 38I for the needles, the cylinder {260 being arranged for rotation in the bedplates B and B and being driven as shown in the Scott patent referred to above. The machine is also provided with the usual sinker plate 295 and cam,

cap 360 therefor. Also forming part of the machine is a dial D which supports the transfer elements or bits '1, as shown in Figures 15, 16 and 21, the dial being rotated and the transfer elements operated as shown in the patent referred to.

To operate the needles there is provided the usual knitting cams 351i, dbl and 3693 which function in the usual manner. There is also provided draw-down cams 382 and i2 and a raising cam l2 which cooperate with the butts on the needles for til operation of the needles. For the operation. of the jacks which serve to position the needles for operation by their cams there are provided a jack operating cauriiiiii and a cam are which engages the upper portion of the jacks so as to force outwardly the lower portions thereof in position to be engaged by either the make-up selector lever or cam Hit or any of the reader cams 565 which are operated from the trick wheel or auxiliary pattern drum M ld with which this machine is equipped. The pattern drum Edi) is operated in the usual manner by a pawl W5 which engages the teeth i t l on the drum the operation of the reader came being as shown in the patent to Page and Swinglehurst, No. 1,906,204, dated April 25, 1933. The various yarns, with the exception of the rubber yarn, are fed to the needles by the usual yarn fingers operated by push-rods from the main pattern drum in the usual manner. To supply the rubber yarn to the needles there is provided a rubber yarn guide E III slidably mounted on the bracket i i? which serves to support the driving means for the dial, said yarn guide being biased to its lower or yarn introducing position by a spring llfi secured to the bracket I I2 and to the upper end of the yarn guide IIIl. To raise the yarn guide from operative position there is provided a bell crank lever H6 pivotally mounted on the bracket H2 and having an end of one arm thereof engaged beneath a pin III secured in the yarn guide HG. Through the end of the other arm of the bell crank lever H6 one end of link II8 extends, the other end of the link being secured in an opening in a yarn finger F one of the usual yarn fingers not otherwise used at this time. A collar Ill, fixed on the link H8, causes the bell crank lever IIG to be operated with the link H8 as the link is drawn down by movement of the yarn finger F, the yarn finger being operated by a push rod 430 from a cam I22 on the main pat tern drum I20. The cam I2 is mounted upon a carrier 384 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 383 secured to the base' plate B. A spring (not shown) biases the cam and slide to their outer or inactive position and the cam is moved inwardly to its operative positions by a lever 20. which has an end carrying a bolt or pin 204 which engages the carrier 384 and is secured in adjusted position in the lever by the nut 202 while the opposite end 01' the lever 200 is provided with a contact face 208 positioned to be engaged by a cam 462* fixed on a push rod 462. The adjustment of the nut 202 on the bolt 204 provides a means for adjusting the position to which the cam I2 is moved. The push rod 462 is operated from a cam I24 on the main pattern drum I20 which cam is provided with contact surfaces at different elevations so as to provide for the stepped elevation of the push rod 462 and the stepped operation of the cam I2 by the inclined surface of the cam 462 The cam I2 which is carried by a slide 38I mounted in the bracket 386 is also operated from the slide 384 by means of a spring plunger 383 mounted'in a lateral extension 384 of the slide 384 but its inward movement is limited by a stop 385 so that it can move inwardly only far enough to engage the long butt needles. Thereafter movement of the slide 384 is permitted by the spring through which the slide'operates the cam I2 The cam I2 is so positioned with respect to the cam l2 that the movement of the push rod 462 from the face of the drum 220 to the first level of the cam I24 permits of the cam 92 occupying its position to engage the butts of the long butt needles 11' before the cam I2 is moved inwardly far enough to engage such long butts. The cam Et is also moved to its outer position by a spring (not shown). Movement of the pattern drum 929 so as to place the intermediate level of the cam EH beneath the push rod brings the cam I2 into position to engage the lo butt needles a while the cam E2 is reby its stop from moving inwardly further. Movement of the drum 52%? to p 'e he push rod 652 upon the uter level of the permits oi the cam l2 being moved inv engage the short butt as well as long butt needies whereby all the needles are operated, the cam being still from further inward movement. At its upper end the push rod M32 is provided with a pin 462 which engages the outer end of a lever ZIO, pivotally mounted on the pin 552 on which the latch guard ring 559 is pivoted. The inner end of the lever 258 is provided with a housing for a springpressed plunger it? which bears upon the free end of a lever 2M, the other end of which Is pivotally mounted at 2I6 upon a standard carried by the bedplate B. Intermediate its length, the lever 2 is provided with a housing 2I6 for a spring-pressed plunger which plunger serves to hold the lever 2I4 in raised position until operation of the push rod 462 causes the lever 2 to be depressed. Secured to the lever M4 is a cam I89 which serves to operate the sinkers w.

The cam 382 is slidably mounted in a housing 388 secured to thebedplate B and is biased to its outer position by a spring, not shown. To press the cam 382 to its inner position there is provided a lever 220 plvotally mounted, as at 222, on the bedplate B and having one arm thereof engaged with the adjustable abutment 223 se- .cured to the outer end of the cam 382 while the other end of the lever 220 is positioned to engage a cam @Ei secured on a push rod 46L The cam surface so that upon I by the cam I26 the push rod I 4" has a stepped contact operation of the push rod on the main pattern drum I26 may be positioned with the end of the lever 226 in v engagement with one or another of the different portions of the contact surface, the cams being arranged on the push rod 46! and the pattern drum I26 so that when the push rod 46l is in contact with the surface of the pattern drum the lever 226 is engaged by the upper contact surface or the cam 4H and the lever 226 is positioned so that the cam 362 is withdrawn from engagement with the needle butts and-is in its outer or inoperative position. When the push rod I is on a cam face of cam I26 of intermediate height the push rod is elevated to bring the center contact face of the cam 4H- ln engagement with the lever 226 and the earn 362 is moved inwardly to a position in which the lon butt needles are engaged and when the push rod 4" is on the outer contact surface of the cam I26 the push rod is raised to a position in which the lowest contact face of the cam 46I is in engagement with .the lever 226 and the cam 362 is moved inwardly to a position in which it engages both the short butt and long butt needles.

A clamp and cutter mechanism 236 is operated by a lever 232 pivotally mounted on the standard 661 on the latch guard ring 556 against the action of a spring 23I. The lever 232 projects beyond the standard 651 and at its outer end it has a pin 233 engaged'by the upper end of a push rod 464 which is operated by the cams I23 and- I23 on the pattern drum I26. Pivotally mounted on a standard 236 supported from the baseplate B is a lever 236 having a pin 236' mounted in the end thereof and provided with an opening through which extends one end of a rod 246. Fixed to the lever 236 is a projecting finger 233 positioned to be engaged by a cam 462 fixed on the push rod 462. On the rod 246 adjacent the pin 236' is fixed a collar 24I arranged to be engaged by the pin 236' and held in contact therewith by a spring 242 which extends between the collar 2 and the push rod 462. The opposite end of the rod 246 engages in an opening at the outer end of a cam 244 pivotally mounted on the baseplate B and positioned so that when the push rod 462 is raised the cam 244 engages with the butts of the jacks being raised by the cam 366 to force the butts of the jacks from the cam so as to limit the distance to which the jacks are raised by the cam 366. The make-up selector lever I62 is pivotally mounted, as shown in Figure 3, on the pin 246 on which the reader cams I66 controlled by the auxiliary pattern drum I66 are also pivotally mounted. The make-up lever I62 is operated to a position in which it engages butts on the jacks by a crank arm 246 fixed on a shaft 256 which is operated by crank arm 252 also iixed on the shaft 256 and positioned to be engaged by a cam I36 on an end of the main pattern drum I26. A spring, not shown, biases the lever I62 to its inoperative position.

The cam I83 which is attached to the lever 2 I4 is positioned, as shown in Fig. 25, to engage the butts of all sinkers to withdraw the sinkers so that as the rubber yarn R is drawn down by the needles as they are engaged by the cam I2 the elastic yarn passes below the nebs of the sinkers and the loops are drawn over the knockingover ledges of the sinkers. The sinkers are returned to normal position by the fixed sinker cam I36 so that the bights of the rubber yarn drawn are taken into the throats of the sinkers and the elastic yarn is kept from being raised as the needles are subsequently raised to take the bodyyarn. The loops drawn by the needles determine the length of the rubber yarn drawn and consequently the contracted width of the stocking top. This width may be varied by varying the length of the loops drawn by the needles.

In practice the cams are positioned to operate the needles to draw an excess of yarn and the fabric is reduced to the desired width by adding tension on the rubber yarn.

In order to obtain a clearly defined ribbed appearance the sinkers on each side of the tying needles are operated inwardly earlier and to a greater extent at the knitting point than are the other sinkers so as to lengthen the loops at the wales where the elastic yarn passes through, the sinkers being moved inwardly just as the tying needles approach the bottom of their movement under the leading stitch cam 36I. The sinkers thus operated are provided with long butts 336 and are operated by a special sinker cam 3I'2 pivotally mounted in the sinker cam cap 366 and which may be controlled as shown in the patent to Robert W. Scott, No. 1,189,220, dated June 2'7, 1916. The sinkers with the short butts 466 are operated at the usual time for the usual distance by the regular sinker operating path in the sinker cam cap 366.

While the machine has been shown equipped with a cutter and clamp mechanism for the rubber yarn it is possible to operate the machine without this cutter and. clamp, in which case the rubber yarn extends continuously from stocking to stocking. Where the cutter and clamp are not used the cam I22, shown in Fig. 9, on the pattern drum I26 which operates the push rod 466 controlling the rubber yarn guide I I6 is somewhat shorter than the cam I22 which operates the push rod 466 when the cutter and clamp are used but, except for the diiference in length, this cam I22 is the same as cam I 22 and the rubber yarn extends from the yarn guide II6 under the dial D and through the needle cylinder to the stocking which has been pressed oil and is not held by the cutter and clamp.

On the press-off rack which withdraws the body yarn from the needles so as to press-off the completed stocking cams are positioned for raising every other needle in preparation for the make-up of the stocking about to be started. This selection of the cylinder needles is brought about by the push-out cam I66 which operates against the upper ends of the cylinder pattern jacks, throwing the lower ends of the jacks out ward and, by the make-up selector lever I62 which engages butts on every other cylinder pattern jack and pushes the lower ends of these jacks back to the needle cylinder. The remaining jacks having their lower ends left in their outer positions have their butts engage the jacir raising cam 366 which operates every other jack to raise the corresponding cylinder needle to the clearing level. The needles that are not raised by the pattern jacks are left at the tucking level at which they take yarn but do not place their loops below the latches and to which they were raised by the side cam 46. On the first main rack of the main pattern drum for the make-up or the beginning of the stocking dividing cam 362 is inserted part way while over the short butt needles to operate on the long butt needles and carry every other needle beneath the stitch cam 36I so that they will not take the yarns on the first course. This dividing cam 362 carries down only the needles which are left at the tucking level as the needles which are raised by the cylinder pattern Jacks pass over the top of cam 382 and take the body yarn at the throat plate. As the selected needles reach the throat plate an auxiliary rack brings the body yarn lnger into action. While engaging the long butt needles the cam 382 is inserted all the way by an auxiliary racking movement so as to carry down the short butt needles as they reach the cam. After the needles have been divided by the cam 382 for one complete revolution a raising cam I2- is inserted to raise the long butt needles which are not raised by the cylinder pattern jacks above the dividing cam 382 so that during the second revolution in which the body yarn is fed all the long butt needles are caused to take the body yarn and the long butt needles which took the body yarn in the first revolution cast oil their loops and knit. While the long butt needles are being raised over the top of the cam 382 this cam is withdrawn part way so that the short butt needles will be allowed to pass over the top of the leading stitchcam "I, thus all short butt needles take the body yarn in this second revolution and those short butt needles which took the body yarn in the first revolution cast oil their loops and knit. This completes the selvage edge, that is, one revolution of the needle cylinder with alternate needles taking the body yarn followed by one revolution with every needle taking the body yarn and the needles which took yarn during the first revolution casting off their loops and knitting. After the long butt needles are raised during the second revolution the raising cam 62* is withdrawn from action. At the beginning of the third revolution the dividing earn 382, being only partly withdrawn, begins to draw down the first long butt needles in order to withdraw every other long butt needle from action and while engaging the long butt needles the cam 332 is moved inwardly to engage the alternate short butt needles left at the tucking level. At this time the dial carried-transfer bits T are advanced by the knitting point and the body yarn is drawn, by the needles which take it, over the transfer bits T so that during this revolution the needle cylinder alternate needles draw loops of the body yarn and cast or? the loops previously taken and the bights of the besiy yarn between the needles which drew loops are taken and held by the transfer bits T until the completion of the welt, the transfer bits being drawn back to an intermediate position immediately upon taking the bights of the body yarn.

Where the cutter and clamp for the rubber yarn are not used the rubber yarn guide H0 is dropped into feeding position just before the leading long butt needle reaches the position of the elastic yarn guide H0 in'the third revolution of the needle cylinder. This places the rubber yarn in feeding position in advance of the projecting transfer bits in the third revolution and permits the rubber yarn being engaged with the needles below the latches thereof in the third revolution. Inasmuch as the rubber yarn extends to the preceding stocking the rubber yarn is drawn around the leading long butt needle and carried along thereby as shown in Fig. 15.

Prior to the beginning of the third revolution a cam H, is operated by suitable means from the main pattern drum to a position in which it engages the butts of all needles, beginning with. the first long butt needle and lowers them so that the needles which do not have their raised by cam "I will not be raised to a level in which they would take the rubber yarn R when the rubber yarn guide III is lowered at the beginning of the third revolution. The selected needles which have their jacks raised by the cam June raised to a level which brings the rubber yarn below their latches. The rubber yarn R is cut oil at the throat plate and is not, at this time, knit in or interlaced with the fabric but, as shown in Figure 16, rests on the fabric loops in back of the cylinder needles N and below the transfer bits T, the presser plate I" holding the yarn in this position and preventing it from getting above the transfer bits T. At this time the loops formed will be as shown in Figure 1'7, in which the first course a of the body yarn Y is interlooped at alternate needles with the second course b while the needles which had been brought into action during the knitting of the second course only and are withdrawn during the knitting of the third course 0 retain their loops for lnterlooping with the fourth course d. The fourth course d will also be interlooped at alternate needles with the third course 0 which has been interlooped in the same wales with the second course b. The rubber yarn R is not inter-looped with any of the other courses but rests freely on the fabric loops and the transfer bits T retain the loops taken in the second course b. The dividing cam 382 may be kept in action for approximately a course and a half after the rubber yarn finger is lowered in order to prevent imperfect work which might occur if all the needles were brought into action immediately after the transfer bits T are withdrawn with the bights they hold. While the cam 382 is in the rubber yarn R is laid in front of the needles and below the latches but is not interlaced therewith so that when cast of! at the knitting point it is merely laid on the loops, as shown in Figure 17. The dividing cam 382 when withdrawn is withdrawn in two steps after the long butt needles have passed but before the cam 382 is withdrawn the cam I2 is inserted at the beginning of the long butt needles and the sinker cam I89 is inserted, and, simultaneously with the insertion of the cam I! to its extreme inner position, the thrust rod 462 has caused the push-off cam 244 which cooperates with the jack raising cam 386 to move to its operative position. The push-off cam 2 forces the jacks from the cam 366 and insures that no needle will be raised by its pattern jack above the level of the cam 62 so that the needles thus raised to take the rubber yarn are operated by the cam l2 to draw down the rubber yarn R over the knocking-over surfaces of the sinkers w while the remaining needles, when raised with the selected needles to take the body yarn, are raised in front of the rubber yarn, thus interlacing the rubber yarn in front and in back of the adjacent needles, as shown in Fig. 13, so that when the rubber yarn is cast of! at the knitting point it is interlaced be tween the loops of the fabric forming the welt. After the loops are drawn off the elastic yarn and before the needles are raised to take the body yarn Y the sinkers are moved inwardly to hold down the elastic yarn as the needles are raised. This operation continues throughout the knitting of the welt, the rubber yarn being introduced in each course thereof.

Where the cutter and clamp are used the rubber yarn guide H0 is kept out of action during the knitting of the selvage and for one or more courses thereafter until a convenient main rack serves to operate the rubber yarn guide into feeding position. At this time the push-off cam 2 has been inserted and the raising of alternate needles is taking place so that the rubber yarn R may be taken by alternate needles, drawn over the sinkers and positioned for interlacing with the needles, as shown in Figure 14. At this time, that is, after four'or more courses the rela tion of the rubber yarn to the needles is identical whether the cutter and clamp are used or not. The feeding of the elastic yarn continues through the transfer of the loops held by the transfer bits T to the needles opposite the bits upon the completion of the welt, this operation being shown in Figure 21 where the rubber yarn R. is taken and drawn down by the needles N below the nebs of the sinkers before the transfer bits are pushed out to permit the needles opposite thereto to be raised to take the loops of the body yarn from the transfer bits T in the usual manner.

Upon the completion of transfer of the loops from the transfer bits T to the needles the loops are as in Figure 23 in which the loops of the course c, which were held by the transfer bits T and which are shown as being cast off from the needles by which they were taken, are interlooped with the loops of the course 1 then being formed. The rubber yarn R is interlaced with the needles, as in the previous courses, and when cast off is interlaced with the loops of the transfer course, but is not knit therewith. Upon completion of the transfer the transfer bits are withdrawn by an auxiliary racking movement which also throws out the make-up selector lever I02 and causes the reader cams 165, operated from the auxiliary pattern drum Hi6, to be placed in action. As shown in Fig. l the reader cams used are the two lower cams I65 operated by the auxiliary pattern drum Hi6 and these reader cams select jacks to cause three of every four needles to be raised to take and draw down the rubber yarn. Thus when all the needles are raised to take the body yarn Y the intervening needles are raised in front of the rubber yarn while the needles which drew down the elastic yarn pass up in back of the elastic yarn thus interlacing the rubber yarn in front of three and in back of one of each four needles and the elastic yarn is cast oil by each group of three needles that took it as a single bight that is not knitted or interlooped with the body yarn. The needles which take the elastic yarn are raised only in every fourth course during the knitting of the top and the dial is raised from the position it had during the knitting of the welt in order that there may be clearance between the fabric and the dial to permit of the rubber yarn extending across the needle circle during the revolutions in which the yarn is not taken.

During the knitting of the stocking top the sinker cam M2 is also inserted so as to lengthen the loops in the wales on each side of the tying-in needle or needle in back of which the rubber yarn is placed when interlaced with the needles. Upon completion of the top or of the desired length of top with elastic therein the elastic yarn guide and the cams l2, I4, 244, I89 and 3l2 and the reader cams 165 are withdrawn and the knitting of the remainder of the stocking proceeds in the usual manner with others of the reader cams 165 (not shown) being used forpatterning in the usual manner, if desired. Where a cutter and clamp mechanism is provided the elastic yarn is taken by the clamp and cut, to be held thereby until it is again presented to the needles during the knitting of the welt of the next stocking.

Where the cutter and clamp mechanism is not used the elastic yarn connects the stockings in "string work as they are knit until severed manually in order to separate the stockings.

As shown in Fig. 29, a stocking welt and top made in accordance with this invention has a double-walled welt W united with the stocking top in the knitting thereof, both the welt and the stocking top being of plain fabric while between the walls of the welt, but not secured thereto,- lie one or more courses of the elastic yarn R. Interlaced with the wales of each course oi the welt W and in the transfer course, and one or more courses of the stocking top S immediately following the transfer course, are other courses of elastic yarn and while the elastic yarn has been shown and described as placed in front of and in back of alternate needles the elastic yarn may be interlaced in different arrangements with respect to the needles. Below the courses above described the elastic yarn is introduced into every fourth course of the stocking top for as many courses as desired or throughout the length of the top, the elastic yarn as shown being placed in front of three adjacent needles and in back of the fourth needle of every four needles of the courses in which it is introduced, the corresponding needles being in the same wales in each of such courses so that a straight rib effect is secured.

The particular fabric shown and described is not claimed herein as it is claimed in application Serial No. 184,890, filed January 13, 1938.

What is claimed is- 1. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt, means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles and means for operating said needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt and the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles.

2. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt, means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles and means for operating said needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt, the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles and the knitting of the stocking top.

3. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt, means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to interlace said elas--- tic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt, the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles and the knitting of the stocking top and means for selecting the needles for tying-in the elastic yarn.

4. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt, means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles; means for operating said needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt, the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles and the knit ting of the stocking top and means for selecting different groups of needles for tying-in the elastic yarn in the fabric of the welt and top.

5. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt, means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt, the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles and the knitting of the stocking top, means for selecting the needles for tying-in the elastic yarn in the welt and separate means for selecting the needles for tying-in the elastic yarn in the top.

6. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and a dial having knitting instrumentalities for holding and transferring loops of a body yarn in the knitting of a welt and means for feeding an elastic yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles but not knit the elastic yarn thereon during the knitting of the welt, the transfer of loops of the welt from the dial knitting instrumentalities to the needles and the knitting of the stocking top, means for selecting needles for tying-in the elastic yarn and means for changing the needle selection.

7. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers arranged for knitting plain fabric, means for feeding an elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, means operating the needles to interlace the elastic yarn with the needles, means feeding a body yarn to all the needles, means advancing sinkers adjacent non-selected needles to lengthen the loops at such needles and means operating all the needles to knit the body yarn and. cast off the elastic yarn from the selected needles.

8. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers arranged for knitting plain fabric, means for. feeding an elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, means operating said selected needles to measure loops of the elastic yarn over the knocking-over surfaces of said sinkers, means operating the needles to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles, means feeding a body yarn to all the needles and means operating the needles to knit said body yarn and to cast off the elastic yarn from the selected needles.

9. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a fabric being knit on a circular knitting machine, the steps of feeding the elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles and immediately thereafter catching the elastic yarn in the throats of the sinkers and drawing bights of said elastic yarn between the needles, subsequently releasing the bights, clearing the latches of the selected needles, feeding a body yarn to all the needles and knitting said body yarn on all needles and casting off the elastic yarn from the selected needles to tie-in the elastic yarn in the sinker wales adjacent non-selected needles.

10. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a fabric being knit on a circular knitting machine, the steps of feeding the elastic yarn against the shanks .of selected needles, measuring loops of the elastic yarn on the knocking-over surfaces 2,1 rmos of the sinkers, holding the yarn by the sinkers and raising the selected needles, feeding a body yarn to all needles, knitting said body yarn on all needles and casting of! the elastic yarn from the selected needles. I

11. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a stocking being knit on a circular knitting machine, the steps of feeding the elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, operating the remaining needles during the knit ing of the welt, transfer and stocking top to interlace said elastic yarn with the needles, feeding and knitting a body yarn on all needles in all courses throughout the welt, transfer and top and casting of! said elastic yarn from the selected needles with the body yarn. I

12. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a fabric being knit on a circular knitting ma-' chine, the steps of feeding the elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, measuring loops of the elastic yarn on the knocking-over surfaces of the sinkers, feeding a body yam to all needles. operating the sinkers adjacent non-selected needles to lengthen the loops of the body yarn at such non-selected needles, knitting the body yarn on all needles and casting off the elastic yarn from the selected needles with the body yarn to tie-in the elastic yarn at the lengthened loops.

13. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a fabric being knit on a circular knitting machine, the steps of feeding the elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, feeding a body yarn to all needles, operating the sinkers adjacent non-selected needles to lengthen the loops of the body yarn at such non-selected needles, knitting the body yarn on all needles and casting off the elastic yarn from the selected needles with the body yarn to tie-in the elastic yarn at the lengthened loops.

14. In a method of incorporating elastic yarn in a stocking fabric being knit on a circular dial knitting machine, the steps of securing loops of a starting-up course on dial instrumentalities, knitting plain fabric of a body yarn on all needles for a plurality of courses, feeding the elastic yarn' against the shanks of selected needles, casting the elastic yarn from the needles during the knitting of one or more courses without engaging the elastic yarn with the fabric, operating the remaining needles during the knitting of a plurality of subsequent courses to interlace the elastic yarn with the needles, casting off the elastic yarn from the selected needles with the body yarn in the knitting of said subsequent courses and transferring the loops from the dial instrumentalities to the needles during the knitting of one of said subsequent courses.

15. In a circular knitting machine having independent needles and sinkers arranged for knitting plain fabric, means for feeding an elastic yarn against the shanks of selected needles, means operating said selected needles to measure loops of the elastic yarn over the knocking-over surfaces of said sinkers, means operating the needles to inter lace said elastic yarn with the needles, means feeding a body yarn to all the needles, means advancing sinkers adjacent non-selected needles to lengthen the body yarn loops at such needles and means operating all the needles to knit the body yarn and cast off the elastic yarn from the selected needles.

ALBERT E. PAGE. FRANK R. PAGE. 

